OOTS #1020 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[GAAD]

Destroyus Badguyus!

[Absol197]

"...the GOOD news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!"

Classic!:smallbiggrin: One of my favorite Blackwing lines to date!

[SavageWombat]

Wow, and I just dropped by.

Who else is hoping that impact on the door is the newly-restored Allosaurus?

[Keltest]

I deeply approve of this approach to magic.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Hah! I can honestly say I've never seen someone deliberately botch a UMD check to get this result before! Now let's hope it doesn't burn the ship down.

Also that might be one of my favorite lines from Blackwing so far.

[A.A.King]

Screw the main cast, I want the adventures of Scruffy and Blackwing on a journey to restore their dinosaur friend back to its former glory.

[Draconium]

See, V? This is why we pay attention to our familiars - so they don't blow up our brand-new scroll! Oh, and the ship as well, I suppose...

[Emperordaniel]

Cats rule!

Also, gg Blackwing.

[rman]

Verbal component of the spell/attempt to read the scroll is great

Abra candelabra !
Frippity fruppity frooj !
Pottericus mimickus !

Great writing as always.

[Hamste]

I really enjoyed this comic.

[Waar]

Nice miscast

[Lord Raziere]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades to deal damage....

[Tentreto]

Blackwing using surprisingly intelligent tactics...

[Ruck]

Hah! I can honestly say I've never seen someone deliberately botch a UMD check to get this result before!
Ha! I had no idea what the mechanic was that could cause this to happen. That's great.

[nospacebar14]

I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?

[GAAD]

I wonder what happens if you try that with a scroll of Explosive Runes...

[Sniper Jo]

A surprisingly ingenious plan, considering it's Blackwing we're talking about.

[Deprox]

Who else is hoping that impact on the door is the newly-restored Allosaurus?

It's not. It's the spell scroll misfiring.

[Halgur]

Yay! Catastrophic failure for the win!

[Legault]

I read this in a public place and almost burst laughing outloud. Great solution, didn't get it at first, found it much funnier when Blackwing considered not knowing wth he was doing good news.

[DaOldeWolf]

Well, at least they managed to get attention. :smallbiggrin:

[Origamite]

Odds that the people walking by are just going to shrug it off as V making a mistake?

[littlebum2002]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

[ti'esar]

Ha! Certainly not the way I was expecting the animal sidekicks' cliffhanger to be resolved, but I'll take it.

[Bobbybobby99]

Hah! The wonders of using magic items as explosives is a classic one, in more creative circles, indeed. The rats almost certainly have far fewer hit points than the others, so an area effect was just what they needed.

[Sir_Norbert]

After so many high-tension strips it's nice to get such an awesome blast of comedy :) I love Blackwing here.

[Seto]

A surprisingly ingenious plan, considering it's Blackwing we're talking about.

Blackwing is pretty smart, as the Imp has pointed out many times.

[Spore]

Blackwing using surprisingly intelligent tactics...

Well, a wizard's familiar is usually the second most intelligent member in a party.

[JessmanCA]

I earnestly laughed out loud at this one!

"The good news is I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!"

"Pottericus Mimicus!"

[IamWeasel]

It's not. It's the spell scroll misfiring.

Probably but we can dream!

Great strip, I do like the animals too.

[JessmanCA]

I wonder what happens if you try that with a scroll of Explosive Runes...

You will locate an animal

[El Dorado]

Who knew Blackwing had (Mis-)Use Magic Device? :smallwink:

[BlackHumor]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades to deal damage....

No you wouldn't. :P

A scroll mishap has a random effect which is not necessarily (and in fact not usually) dealing damage to any enemies in the area. It's just as common to deal damage to yourself specifically as it is to explode.

The one thing an intentional scroll mishap can do pretty consistently is make a loud noise. Which is good if you really need to get someone's attention and are size Tiny. It's not so good if you are an ordinary size PC and have much better ways to deal damage and/or make loud noises without any risk of hurting yourself.

[hroþila]

Nifty little detail with the out of focus backgrounds on the desk.

[Zenzis]

No you wouldn't. :P

A scroll mishap has a random effect which is not necessarily (and in fact not usually) dealing damage to any enemies in the area. It's just as common to deal damage to yourself specifically as it is to explode.

The one thing an intentional scroll mishap can do pretty consistently is make a loud noise. Which is good if you really need to get someone's attention and are size Tiny. It's not so good if you are an ordinary size PC and have much better ways to deal damage and/or make loud noises without any risk of hurting yourself.

Where are you getting your mishap rules?

All I can find is on d20srd under scroll mishaps. (I can't link yet sorry)

It gives some examples of possible mishaps but it seems like in the end it is mostly up to the DM?

[HeadAcheron]

Oh, this is beautiful. This is absolutely beautiful. I never realized that you could weaponize how delicate magic is and how easy it is to make a "mistake" :biggrin:

Go Team Dinosaur!

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Well, that was a pretty successful failure.

[Bird]

Not only is panel 8 my favorite Blackwing line, it may be my favorite 4th-wall line as well. Thanks, Giant!

[Braininthejar2]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades to deal damage....

Reminds me of my wizard purposefully failing a dispel attempt - using a looted bad guy's spellbook with warding spells above his level, as a satchel charge.

[Simons Mith]

I'm glad to see we're back to the main characters at any rate.

[JSSheridan]

Thanks Giant!

[Gift Jeraff]

I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?

He's looking for Serini.

[Glich]

Are they gonna survive that blast?


Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor i would say yes.

[Mith]

Blackwing is one of my favourite characters for a reason.

[xroads]

When in doubt, wild surge!


He's looking for Serini.

Interesting. I've never used the spell, but doesn't Locate Animal just find the nearest animal? I figured the spell was more for if his familiar ever got lost or something.

[Sith_Happens]

Deliberate scroll mishaps? PURE. GENIUS.:smallbiggrin:


Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor

I believe you meant to say "Considering they both have Evasion (Improved in Blackwing's case).":smallwink::smalltongue:

[Anarion]

Well, if you're gonna roll the dice, that's not a bad way to do it.

[neriractor]

Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor i would say yes.

high level familiars and animal companions have evasion so I´ll bet there is a pretty good chance that they survive (also I think Blackwing already knew that before exploding the room)

edit: Swordsage´d :smallsmile:


that was a pretty funny strip Giant, keep up the good work.

[Gwynfrid]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

[Blanth]

Panel 8 may just become my new personal motto.

[SaintRidley]

When in doubt, wild surge!



Interesting. I've never used the spell, but doesn't Locate Animal just find the nearest animal? I figured the spell was more for if his familiar ever got lost or something.

Well, the thing is the spell isn't Locate Animal. It's Locate Creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/locateCreature.htm).

Range is a bit short for Serini-finding purposes, but there are uses it can be put to.

[GM_3826]

And throughout all of this the guest character's tiger is conveniently off panel. :smallbiggrin:

[Bedinsis]

I wonder if a message can be discerned from the scroll, like how there was a message in the runes when Darth Vaarsuvius was summoned.

[Porthos]

I scrolled left like the comic told me to and nothing happened! :smallannoyed:

FOUL! FOUL, I SAY!!! :smallannoyed: Comic was pretty funny though! :D

[littlebum2002]

Deliberate scroll mishaps? PURE. GENIUS.:smallbiggrin:



I believe you meant to say "Considering they both have Evasion (Improved in Blackwing's case).":smallwink::smalltongue:


Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

Good to know, I don't regularly play characters with familiars/companions.

[AchtungNight]

"...the GOOD news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!"

Can I get a T-shirt with this line?:smallbiggrin:

[Psyren]

Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

Point of order, the Scruffinator is an animal companion. Still has evasion though.

[Keltest]

Point of order, the Scruffinator is an animal companion. Still has evasion though.

Bloodfeast might be in trouble though.

[Seward]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

Familiars have improved evasion
animal companions have evasion and decent reflex saves
Bloodfeast has a ton of hitpoints

the incapacitated tiger might be in trouble though......

[DaggerPen]

Pfahahahhaaaaa

More than one way to succeed on a UMD check.... I love you, Blackwing.

[Liberivore]

And now we realise that the entire point of Gontor bumping into the animal companions was just for the comic relief.
Epic line by Blackwing though, worth it :smallbiggrin: .

Also, what's with the title? "Scroll Left" ? Edit: I just got it. There's a scroll left. Duh. Okay that was actually funny.

Someone said the runes might say something, that would be cool. What did Darth V's runes say, I didn't know that was a thing?

[Aegis J Hyena]

Blackwing, don't you dare ever change. :smallbiggrin:

Now, is that a Fireball or Explosive Runes? I don't think Blackwing would be "dumb" enough to misfire a scroll like that... bad things (or worse than their situation at least) can happen that way...

[Spoomeister]

That was adorable, a smidge badass, and has Blackwing being a lot smarter than some of the main bipedal characters have been lately.

Also, seems like Rich is gettin' a little punchy. Which is a very good thing if it results in things like the nonsense verbal components. :smallbiggrin:

[Bedinsis]

Someone said the runes might say something, that would be cool. What did Darth V's runes say, I didn't know that was a thing?

I checked it up. It says: "bet you thought you had found a secret message in this didn't you" (http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/I_See_a_Red_Robe_and_I_Want_to_Paint_it_Black).

[Darth Paul]

Wow, and I just dropped by.

Who else is hoping that impact on the door is the newly-restored Allosaurus?

Me. Definitely me. 100% me.

This reminds me of the time our party's Paladin decided to activate his Quaal's Feather Token during a battle below decks aboard a ship at sea. It was the Token that summoned a Roc. Which was bigger than the actual ship we were on.

Luckily our Cleric had enough Water Breathing spells for all of us that were wearing metal armor and consequently couldn't swim. We had to walk ashore, underwater, after the ship sank.

[GAAD]

Me. Definitely me. 100% me.

This reminds me of the time our party's Paladin decided to activate his Quaal's Feather Token during a battle below decks aboard a ship at sea. It was the Token that summoned a Roc. Which was bigger than the actual ship we were on.

Luckily our Cleric had enough Water Breathing spells for all of us that were wearing metal armor and consequently couldn't swim. We had to walk ashore, underwater, after the ship sank.

But you won, right? Isn't that all that matters?
Well, some equipment is sensitive and valuable
What was that? I can't hear you over all this blowing up sensitive, valuable equipment.

[jafar]

Well V *is* always losing track of Blackwing. Including right now.


I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?

[Roland Itiative]

So, Blackwing invented a way to spontaneously convert any scroll into Explosive Runes. Man, V will be so proud :smalltongue:

[Onyavar]

I scrolled left like the comic told me to and nothing happened! :smallannoyed:

FOUL! FOUL, I SAY!!! :smallannoyed: Comic was pretty funny though! :D

Were this xkcd, you'd be right to be disappointed.

I had the same association. But, maybe there is another comic soon, called "Right Scroll", and is drawn horizontally, just like 443 was vertical.


Back to topic: I understood what was going on immediately, but then started to think about the mechanics involved. Thank you guys for pointing out this was UMD, because I already started thinking "spontanous magic casting = sorceror raven".

I somehow thought failing UMD would just fizzle... that shows I know nothing.

[jafar]

You will locate an animal

LOL! Awesome reply.

Along the same vein, anyone know of a random spell miscast chart? Could be some hilarious results.

[Deprox]

I somehow thought failing UMD would just fizzle... that shows I know nothing.

Haley would really like it to just fizzle. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0970.html)

[Marp]

Go go go animal buddies!!

I really hope they all make it out alive...

This is just as engaging as the rest of this confrontation. Thank You, Giant, for showing that the threads of this reality are woven not just by the actions of humanoids, but also by the doings of their faithful companions! :smallsmile:

[Daywalker1983]

Haley would really like it to just fizzle. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0970.html)

Looking back, the purpose of this panel was probably to Set up a precedent for the current Strip.

[Ruck]

Blackwing, don't you dare ever change. :smallbiggrin:

Now, is that a Fireball or Explosive Runes? I don't think Blackwing would be "dumb" enough to misfire a scroll like that... bad things (or worse than their situation at least) can happen that way...

It was exactly what Blackwing said it was-- Locate Creature-- and he misfired it on purpose to cause an explosion.

[Nogster]

I really appreciated: "Fruppity fruppity frooj!" That felt like an actual interpretation of what Blackwing hear's V do all the time.

[endur]

"The good news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

[blunk]

Birds and cats, working together... MASS HYSTERIA!!!

[Talion]

An absolutely magnificent use of the features (it's not a bug if it does what you want it to) of UMD and failing a roll...on purpose. Reminds me of the time when my barbarian set fire to the camp and local forest in a valient, but ultimately vain attempt to make a sandwich. (In hindsight, we should have let the forest fire continue burning).

[Razanir]

Scroll left... what does it mean? I think he's breaking board rules with a political statement.

[wumpus]

Well, a wizard's familiar is usually the second most intelligent member in a party.

Who's the first then? The healbot hireling? By definition, it can't be a player character.

PS. Didn't Blackwing used to have the ability to self-dismiss? I thought [s]he* could simply escape before.
* familiars take after their wizards.

[Grand Arbiter]

Did anyone else think of "bippity boppity boo" when they heard "Fruppity fruppity frooj!" ?

[Peelee]

Well, that was a pretty successful failure.

Ya know, that's the first time I've ever heard that said in a completely serious way.

[dtilque]

I really appreciated: "Fruppity fruppity frooj!" That felt like an actual interpretation of what Blackwing hear's V do all the time.

It sounds like a magical incantation that the Wizard of Id would use. I suspect that's intentional.

[Beowulf DW]

Blackwing's unstoppable ascent to funniest character continues!

Edit: also, in the 5th panel, we see our dear allosaurus eating rats, and giving no...well.

[Pyrous]

Did anyone else think of "bippity boppity boo" when they heard "Fruppity fruppity frooj!" ?

I thought that Blackwing's junurtiquity was most biollorky (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html) when I read it.

[dtilque]

PS. Didn't Blackwing used to have the ability to self-dismiss? I thought [s]he* could simply escape before.


That was a running joke which is long past its use-by date. He's not going to be popping away when V is not paying attention any more.

[Siosilvar]

Scroll left... what does it mean? I think he's breaking board rules with a political statement.

Board rules very specifically do not apply to the comics, and also what even

[IamWeasel]

Did anyone else think of "bippity boppity boo" when they heard "Fruppity fruppity frooj!" ?

I don't think Disney would have allowed that freely.

[Elenna]

"The good news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

Blackwing is awesome. :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

[Lexible]

Scroll left... what does it mean? I think he's breaking board rules with a political statement.

The Giant can make all the political statements he likes in the strip without breaking the board rules since the strip is not discussion on the boards.

Editninja'ed!

[gerryq]

Hah! I can honestly say I've never seen someone deliberately botch a UMD check to get this result before! Now let's hope it doesn't burn the ship down.


I think it's more of a NetHack move than a DnD move!

[Bobbybobby99]

Scroll left... what does it mean? I think he's breaking board rules with a political statement.

Was that sarcasm?

[otakuryoga]

Odds that the people walking by are just going to shrug it off as V making a mistake?

unh-uh

no way

fire is too great a danger aboard a ship

[Shining Wrath]

Deliberately misread scroll, set off random side effect? Desperate raven resorts to desperate measures. I wonder how Bloodfeast was doing - or if the random magic might have change him back into an Allosaurus.

Lil' Whiskers is not making his Dexterity save against whatever just happened.

[Bobbybobby99]

You know, I wonder if the Pottericus Mimickus was a joke about the garbled Latin in the Harry Potter books/movies. Probably.

[dtilque]

You know, I wonder if the Pottericus Mimickus was a joke about the garbled Latin in the Harry Potter books/movies. Probably.

No probably about it. He did the same with the "Stoppus Badguyus" back in strip 253 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0253.html)

[FallenFallcrest]

[Edit: removed my own post because I messed something up, making up a totally new post.]

I thought this was a very funny strip, but at this point, it is starting to bother me about the fact that all of the characters have not been present together for a while. It did not bother me as much in the Don't Split the Party, and I don't know why. It might be because I am waiting for each new page individually now, and when I started reading, Don't Split the Party was already all on the site and I could read it all. Waiting for things does color one's perception of things. I have another comic that I read, and I often re-read chapters a long time after they come out so I can get all of the pages more cohesively. I should do that with OotS some time soon.

[Shining Wrath]

I really don't think it has to do with politics. "Scroll Left" probably just has to do with the fact that they go to the left, "scrolling" and the fact that there is a "scroll" that is was "left" behind by V...

I don't understand how either "scroll" or the topic of the page could have to do with the political definition of "left"...

That's because you don't know how to read between the lines. Rich is telling you that he supports MyCandidate over Yourcandidate, who is represented by the dead rat in panel 6, while the effects of Citizens United are shown by the choice of "PFOOM" as a sound effect.

[Velaryon]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades explosive paper airplanes to deal damage....

I have modified your plan. I believe I have improved it. :smallwink:

[NihhusHuotAliro]

Clever, Blackwing.

But what if the locate creature spell could be used to figure out the mird by elimination? Blackwing may have just cost us important answers.

[McStabbington]

Never change, Blackwing. Never change.


http://img.pandawhale.com/54546-Cheers-Toast-gif-OLQT.gif

[tcrudisi]

I have modified your plan. I believe I have improved it. :smallwink:

I so want to do this in a game.

[Wildroses]

I thought this was a very funny strip, but at this point, it is starting to bother me about the fact that all of the characters have not been present together for a while.

I honestly don't think you are going to be waiting much longer. The animals have finally managed to attract outside attention, and now Durkon has escaped Roy no longer has to stay in the temple trying to prevent him. Getting back to the Mechane to update Haley, Elan and V on Durkula's betrayal and fly to the Dwarven Lands is going to be next on his list. Belkar has reached the top as well, so the stage is set for Roy to rescue him from the vampire en route to the airship, or Belkar make his dramatic entrance to kill Durkon and abuse Roy's willful blindness, and have it fall flat when Roy says "You can't kill him because he's already gone and also you were right all along."

I do think it is awesome that the animals managed to rescue themselves (unless the poor tiger got blasted). I really thought someone would have to saved their feathered butts. I should know by now Rich is good at hinting future plausible plot points when he actually planned to do something completely different.

[Doug Lampert]

I somehow thought failing UMD would just fizzle... that shows I know nothing.
Technically, UMD fails don't produce anything but a fizzle. The scroll mishap is if you fail the caster level check to use the scroll and roll a natural one and then also miss a wisdom check at DC 5 (so not likely).

By the book all a failure that is also a natural 1 on UMD does is stop you from attempting to use that item again for 24 hours.

The caster level check is, by the book, a different roll than the UMD check. (The DC for UMD a scroll is modified by the caster level of the scroll and fills much the same purpose as a caster level check, but it is not technically a caster level check.)

Additionally, UMD is trained only, so Blackwing can't even try unless he actually does have some idea what he is doing. On the other hand, Rich has previously established that in his universe failed UMD does cause mishaps, and it's pretty silly that by the book UMD by an idiot with 1 rank can't cause a mishap when being a level 19 wizard trying to use a caster level 20 scroll could.... This is something almost any GM would likely house-rule.

If we can get past the "trained only" by pointing out the obvious that it has to be possible to learn/practice the skill for people to have the skill, and that means "trained only" presumably applies to SUCCEEDING, then all we need is to declare that when you deliberately fail a check it also counts as rolling a 1.

[MReav]

I would have liked "Klaatu Barada nik*cough*" to have been in Blackwing's screwup magical incantations.

[Thanatosia]

Weaponized incompetence!

[Bad Hair Day]

Locate Creature was going to be used to pinpoint Xykon. The backfiring of the scroll is that it SUMMONED Xykon. Var will talk to Xykon, tell him of the threat to the world, then Roy walks in and Xykon and Roy agree to team up to stop the world from ending it. They work so well together, that once the world is saved, Roy then agrees that Xykon should rule it and becomes his Number One next to Emperor Xykon.

My Two Cent Guess,

BHD

[goodpeople25]

Locate Creature was going to be used to pinpoint Xykon. The backfiring of the scroll is that it SUMMONED Xykon. Var will talk to Xykon, tell him of the threat to the world, then Roy walks in and Xykon and Roy agree to team up to stop the world from ending it. They work so well together, that once the world is saved, Roy then agrees that Xykon should rule it and becomes his Number One next to Emperor Xykon.

My Two Cent Guess,

BHD
Feels like it needs more side characters:smallwink:

[kaoskonfety]

I often smile and enjoy what I read here, but this one got me laughing out loud. Golden!

[pweent]

Panel 8 on t-shirts.
Panel 8 on coffee mugs.
Panel 8 on Christmas ornaments.
Panel 8 on cufflinks and cummerbunds.
Panel 8 on commercial airliners.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Dangit, Rich, don't make me laugh like that when I have bronchitis.

[ChillerInstinct]

Hahahaha, that's exactly the type of intentional use of a typically bad thing that I love to do. I doubt it'll kill all the rats, but now that the jig is up, the animal companions shouldn't need to hold out too much longer. Especially if V heard the explosion, considering it came from where he last knew Blackwing was, and because he'll probably have second thoughts on the meaning of the feelings through the Emphatic Link.

Durkon and company's left the building, Mechane's soon going to be secure... all we need now is to see how Belkar's getting along with that Goliath and a bit of denouement, and we'll be on our way out of the Moot and into the Dwarven Lands proper to hunt down Durkon.

Of course, I imagine Wrecan and Veldrina won't be allowed to leave the moot, so I guess we'll be saying goodbye to them, at least until near the end of the arc.

[Emperordaniel]

Locate Creature was going to be used to pinpoint Xykon. The backfiring of the scroll is that it SUMMONED Xykon. Var will talk to Xykon, tell him of the threat to the world, then Roy walks in and Xykon and Roy agree to team up to stop the world from ending it. They work so well together, that once the world is saved, Roy then agrees that Xykon should rule it and becomes his Number One next to Emperor Xykon.

My Two Cent Guess,

BHD

Needs more Trigak.

[a1chemi]

Deliberately misread scroll, set off random side effect? Desperate raven resorts to desperate measures. I wonder how Bloodfeast was doing - or if the random magic might have change him back into an Allosaurus.

Lil' Whiskers is not making his Dexterity save against whatever just happened.

It's only 2d6 damage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm). A tiger has an average of 45 hit points. He did take blood drain and minor rat damage, but I still would call it survivable, especially with Bloodfeast protecting him from the rats.

[Porthos]

It's only 2d6 damage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm). A tiger has an average of 45 hit points. He did take blood drain and minor rat damage, but I still would call it survivable, especially with Bloodfeast protecting him from the rats.

Rich said it (https://twitter.com/RichBurlew/status/690684036163833856) was a scroll activation mishap (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm). Which would be 4d6 since the scroll was of a 4th level spell.

If both rules are in play (and, hey, why not? :smalltongue:) it could then be 6d6. No big deal with evasion, and the tiger and dino should easily take that damage, even with the losses they already took.

[ti'esar]

I wouldn't worry about the tiger and the dino, folks. Little Whiskers is the sidekick of a guest star, so he's probably contractually protected, and I can't imagine that Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator would be dragged along just to randomly die to an explosion without ever once reverting to his larger form.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Nice. Failing a check can be usefull.

[Killer Angel]

Pottericus Mimickus is just priceless.... :smallbiggrin:

[HopeFox]

Additionally, UMD is trained only, so Blackwing can't even try unless he actually does have some idea what he is doing. On the other hand, Rich has previously established that in his universe failed UMD does cause mishaps, and it's pretty silly that by the book UMD by an idiot with 1 rank can't cause a mishap when being a level 19 wizard trying to use a caster level 20 scroll could.... This is something almost any GM would likely house-rule.

If we can get past the "trained only" by pointing out the obvious that it has to be possible to learn/practice the skill for people to have the skill, and that means "trained only" presumably applies to SUCCEEDING, then all we need is to declare that when you deliberately fail a check it also counts as rolling a 1.

Remember that Blackwing has all of Vaarsuvius's skill ranks. If V has one rank of UMD, then Blackwing has UMD at -1, from his Charisma of 6. Plus Synergy bonuses from Spellcraft and Decipher Script, probably, but still, not much of a bonus.

If V doesn't have UMD, then maybe Blackwing did something with Decipher Script or Spellcraft, at least one of which V definitely has. It probably doesn't really work perfectly RAW, but it's close enough for comic work. :)

[Rack]

Rich said it (https://twitter.com/RichBurlew/status/690684036163833856) was a scroll activation mishap (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm). Which would be 4d6 since the scroll was of a 4th level spell.

If both rules are in play (and, hey, why not? :smalltongue:) it could then be 6d6. No big deal with evasion, and the tiger and dino should easily take that damage, even with the losses they already took.

If both rules are in play it would affect Blackwing only. This looks like a wholly invented side effect of miscasting a scroll.

[EccentricFellow]

Oh dear! I feel terrible. I totally forgot about these guys.

Interesting spell thermodynamics. Blackwing is a cagey one indeed.

[goodpeople25]

If both rules are in play it would affect Blackwing only. This looks like a wholly invented side effect of miscasting a scroll.
Don't have roleplaying experience but does it really count as "wholly" invented when the effects given are said to be examples and also pretty much flat out say insert your own here? Heck they don't even say it's randomly chosen. Imo this seems like rule supported "the DM gets to chose what happens". It might be invented sure but a a few things in D&D seem to have that by design.

And Just for the sake of it a couple of the given scroll mishaps could be conceivably stretched to have an effect similar to the one we saw, depends on your definition of minor and what you consider related or contary to locate creature. And technically all we know is that it made an explosion effect and cracked a door (heck could be an illusion lol) not that it did any damage. this part is just for fun though :smalltongue:

[War-Wren]

Birds and cats, working together... MASS HYSTERIA!!!

I understood that reference! Who you gonna call?! :smallwink:


[Edit: removed my own post because I messed something up, making up a totally new post.]

I thought this was a very funny strip, but at this point, it is starting to bother me about the fact that all of the characters have not been present together for a while. It did not bother me as much in the Don't Split the Party, and I don't know why. It might be because I am waiting for each new page individually now, and when I started reading, Don't Split the Party was already all on the site and I could read it all. Waiting for things does color one's perception of things. I have another comic that I read, and I often re-read chapters a long time after they come out so I can get all of the pages more cohesively. I should do that with OotS some time soon.

That's a good plan. I generally try to re-read the entire OotS archive at least once a year. It really does help to mesh everything together, without all the gaps :smallsmile:

[Bobblit]

Hahah, since I know nothing about scroll rules I barely understood what was going on in the comic until I read this thread. That was clever of Blackwing!


That's a good plan. I generally try to re-read the entire OotS archive at least once a year. It really does help to mesh everything together, without all the gaps :smallsmile:
Yeah, with the gaps it gets quite complicated sometimes to keep track of everything that's happening. Most of the time I forget half of what is going on. But that also has an advantage: when you read it for the second time, a lot of it feels new again, so it's like having twice the comic xD

[Vikenlugaid]

Blackwing is God, and Mr. Scruffy his prophet.

[Neoriceisgood]

Blackwing's been a super enjoyable character throughout.


On that note, almost kinda shocking to have an "animal companions own adventure"-comic I actually like, in most other pieces of fiction something like this would just annoy me.

Here it's fun though.

[Bulldog Psion]

Well, it looks like Blackwing and Mr. Scruffy can cooperated tactically. I like it! :smallsmile:

[ChillerInstinct]

Well, it looks like Blackwing and Mr. Scruffy can cooperated tactically. I like it! :smallsmile:

On that note, I wonder how much Blackwing can lift. With how crafty the little rascal has proven himself, I'd love to see him dive into a battle carrying the Scruffster or Bloodfeast. Fly JUST low enough that Scruffy wouldn't take fall damage and have him plop directly onto someone's face as a distraction, or airdrop Bloodfeast in beside V if a battle turns sour and have him break his polymorph...

Wait, Blackwing WAS able to lift Bloodfeast in his current form, I almost forgot about that. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0932.html) Now the question is, how much more would Scruffy weigh...

[Trobby]

You can tell that Blackwing is now a full-fledged character because he has learned every Roleplayer's sacred mantra.

[Basement Cat]

"Pottericus Mimicus!" Nice one.

I'm glad we cued back to the animal sidekicks as I was worried about Blackwing.

I'm on board with the others hoping that this miscast restored the allosaurus (not that I believe it to be the case but hey, we can dream can't we?).

I'm guessing that this may lead to the Order noticing that Belkar is in a dire situation: Facing a vampire unarmed isn't a good thing and even with his protective magics Belkar's saving throws against mental domination may not be good enough when he's badly wounded.

Once again Blackwing steals the show and Mr. Scruffy proves to be the baddest of bad ass animal companions. I loved this strip. :smallsmile:

[Blanth]

fire is too great a danger aboard a ship

Ya know... where exactly does that orb teleport back to anyways?

Vampire legion flambé?

[Blanth]

Panel 8 on commercial airliners.

"You're flying the honestly dangerous skies!"

[Basement Cat]

Ya know... where exactly does that orb teleport back to anyways?

Vampire legion flambé?

If I understand your question correctly it isn't enchanted to target any particular location. Instead it's a single use teleporting device that delivers you to your specified location of choice. Then you're on your own.

[Dr. Gamera]

Looking back, the purpose of this panel was probably to Set up a precedent for the current Strip.

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

[Ruck]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

Wow. Great catch. I didn't try to translate it, but the number of characters to each word is correct.

That's what I love about this strip-- what happened in #970 was a simple throwaway joke, and it was funny, but much later it also becomes relevant to the plot.

[Moonshade]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

By the heavens you're right!

Mr. Giant, you are magnificent!

[Lordchoculla]

New comic is up.

Brilliant. Utterly brilliant. Thanks mr.Giant :smallsmile:

[Lordchoculla]

See, V? This is why we pay attention to our familiars - so they don't blow up our brand-new scroll! Oh, and the ship as well, I suppose...

Details... details...:smalltongue:

[Lordchoculla]

When in doubt, wild surge!



Interesting. I've never used the spell, but doesn't Locate Animal just find the nearest animal? I figured the spell was more for if his familiar ever got lost or something.

It is "locate creature". Not "locate animal". Not quite the same, I think.

[MReav]

I just realized...

That Buffy the Vampire Slayer-expy from Roy's "terrible interviewees montage" would have been very useful for this arc.

I wonder what she's up to. We do get the occasional Frudu and the One True Ming cutaway gag.

[sotanaht]

The way I'm seeing this, the effect is a "burst of uncontrolled magical energy" dealing damage to a user on the other side of the room, and everything in between.

[Lordchoculla]

Quote Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded View Post
Hah! I can honestly say I've never seen someone deliberately botch a UMD check to get this result before! Now let's hope it doesn't burn the ship down.

I think it's more of a NetHack move than a DnD move!

Ngh! My apologies for being ignorant/unimaginative/illiterate/stupid/confused/Danish/insertanything, but I need to ask. What does UMD mean?

[PoeticDwarf]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

You are right, fantastic

[Lordchoculla]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

Well spotted!

[Keltest]

Ngh! My apologies for being ignorant/unimaginative/illiterate/stupid/confused/Danish/insertanything, but I need to ask. What does UMD mean?

Use Magic Device.

[pacovf]

...is it ok if Blackwing is my new favourite character? Again?

[Killer Angel]

If both rules are in play it would affect Blackwing only. This looks like a wholly invented side effect of miscasting a scroll.

It's certainly a side effect invented for oots, but, as already noted, there was a precedent for mishaps doing damage all around, so i'd say it's more a clever and funny trick.

Plus it's an area effect. .. swarms take double damage :smallwink:

[Kantaki]

The team's pets are fine. And working as a team. I hope we get to see more of them.

I bet Blackwing is really happy in panel 8. Being able to say that particular sentence is a rare opportunity.:smallbiggrin:

[happycrow]

I was almost expecting "bibbity bobbity boo" there.

That was hilarious, thanks.

[St Fan]

Plus it's an area effect. .. swarms take double damage :smallwink:

Nope, swarms don't take 50% or double damage from area effect. They take normal damage. It's still a lot more than with weapon damage, of course, since that is either half or none.

[ackmondual]

More Mr. Scruffy and Blackwing please!

[KorvinStarmast]

Oh dear! I feel terrible. I totally forgot about these guys.

Interesting spell thermodynamics. Blackwing is a cagey one indeed.
Or a bird in a scalded cage.

On topic for the strip:
Mr Scruffy continues to kick butt.
The lizard's fighting style looks suitable to the fight.
Using stupidity as a weapon: you can only use the tools you have, eh?

Enjoyed the strip.

[Bongos]

I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?

Well there are 4 animals on the Methane right now if you include Bloodfeast.

V might want find them if they got lost?

Yeah, crazy idea I know.

But since we know Belkar kinda sucks at tracking...

[Killer Angel]

Nope, swarms don't take 50% or double damage from area effect. They take normal damage. It's still a lot more than with weapon damage, of course, since that is either half or none.

Ah, you're right. I stand corrected. :smallwink:

[JoeyTheNeko]

I really hope the animals get out of this okay. all of them. that explosion is not promising.

[Myta]

Really liked that comic.

While this mishap is not exactly described by the rules, it explicitly says that the described mishaps are only examples, so different outcomes are included.
Also the examples in the rules still assume that the user at least tries to use the spell correctly, so the consequences in the examples are along the lines of the original spell. Blackwing on the other hand, does not even attempt to do anything correctly. He just mutters random nonsense, so he does not get any kind of ordered effect, just a chaotic release of energy, aka explosion.
So the explosion is within rules and actually the most logical consequence.

[Gryndel]

This is 100% awesome sauce, to be poured liberally over the meat of this story arc!

One point I haven't seen anyone make yet, and it's just making me very curious what might be said. During the fight with the CreedVamps Roy's sword had that now somewhat familiar green glow. But when he threw it at the departing Vampy McNastypants that glow spread to him as well, including the eyes. Now we've seen this before, and there was a good bit of interesting speculation by forumites about it and what effects it had when Roy got his green on. So I'm just wondering what, if anything, might be posted about it this time.

[Lombard]

Wow I was already thinking this strip was a classic and then someone clever discovered that cryptogram? Insert "mind blown" gif here.

[Deliverance]

I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?
It is not a scroll of locate animal, but a scroll of locate creature.

Given that the plan called for Durkon to get raised at this gathering and the party then teleporting using the teleport orb to Kraagor's gate to rendezvous with O-Chul and Lien, a few scrolls of locate creature to help find the paladins as quickly as possible once the party has teleported in would prove handy.

Additionally, having some scrolls of locate creature to find out if Xykon (or Redcloak) is nearby, and if he is, in which direction he's moving, could be useful too. Sure, he might be protected by mislead or non-detection, but it could be worth a try.

Locate creature is one of those spells that can come in very handy in a large number of situations, but you might not want to spend your spell slots memorizing multiple copies.

[blunk]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.Cool. Same code as in 981, so maybe the script in 867 could be deciphered, too. (Though we may need the PDF for that.)

[Jasdoif]

Nope, swarms don't take 50% or double damage from area effect. They take normal damage.Actually.... (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#swarmSubtype)
A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.

[Blanth]

If I understand your question correctly it isn't enchanted to target any particular location. Instead it's a single use teleporting device that delivers you to your specified location of choice. Then you're on your own.

Gotcha. I was thinking it had a form of Word of Recall or similar use.

[Emperordaniel]

Well there are 4 animals on the Methane right now if you include Bloodfeast.

V might want find them if they got lost?

Yeah, crazy idea I know.

But since we know Belkar kinda sucks at tracking...

Animals on the methane? That's a gas. :smalltongue:

[RatElemental]

Reminds me of some plans I overheard in a gaming club I used to belong to. Apparently, the idea was to imbue a cat with enough intelligence and fire resistance to run into a crowd of enemies and read a scroll of fireball centered on itself.

I never did find out how that went down in practice...

[SmaugTheYounger]

Cool. Same code as in 981, so maybe the script in 867 could be deciphered, too. (Though we may need the PDF for that.)
I don't know wether this was already cracked in the #981 discussion, but anyway:
this.spell.blocks.the.heat

[davidbofinger]

Using stupidity as a weapon

Not stupidity, but intelligent use of incompetence.

[GM_3826]

Not stupidity, but intelligent use of incompetence.

Yup, that is exactly it. Blackwing simply has a poor Use Magic Device skill. (At least, I think that's how it works? I don't 3.5.)

[Dr. Gamera]

Cool. Same code as in 981, so maybe the script in 867 could be deciphered, too. (Though we may need the PDF for that.)

Oh, Yendor already decoded that one (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=15146596&postcount=224).

[Jay R]

Well there are 4 animals on the Methane right now if you include Bloodfeast.

If they were really on the Methane, the explosion would have been much larger.

[I try to ignore typos, but I can't pass up a good straight line.]

[DaggerPen]

Technically, UMD fails don't produce anything but a fizzle. The scroll mishap is if you fail the caster level check to use the scroll and roll a natural one and then also miss a wisdom check at DC 5 (so not likely).

By the book all a failure that is also a natural 1 on UMD does is stop you from attempting to use that item again for 24 hours.

The caster level check is, by the book, a different roll than the UMD check. (The DC for UMD a scroll is modified by the caster level of the scroll and fills much the same purpose as a caster level check, but it is not technically a caster level check.)

Additionally, UMD is trained only, so Blackwing can't even try unless he actually does have some idea what he is doing. On the other hand, Rich has previously established that in his universe failed UMD does cause mishaps, and it's pretty silly that by the book UMD by an idiot with 1 rank can't cause a mishap when being a level 19 wizard trying to use a caster level 20 scroll could.... This is something almost any GM would likely house-rule.

If we can get past the "trained only" by pointing out the obvious that it has to be possible to learn/practice the skill for people to have the skill, and that means "trained only" presumably applies to SUCCEEDING, then all we need is to declare that when you deliberately fail a check it also counts as rolling a 1.

To chime in, I do believe Blackwing has UMD and just intentionally failed a check here with a comedic exaggeration. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html)


I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

Nice catch! Any chance of a verbatim translation? I'd missed what it said and looking up the key on mobile is a pain.


Animals on the methane? That's a gas. :smalltongue:

So that's why it floats! :smalltongue:

[Reboot]

Best strip in... ages, at least.

[137beth]

To chime in, I do believe Blackwing has UMD and just intentionally failed a check here with a comedic exaggeration. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html)

Good catch. We know OOTS characters can intentionally fail their listen checks (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0218.html), so it stands to reason they can do so for UMD too.

[Deprox]

I am now 100% certain that the purpose of this panel was to set up a precedent for the current strip. Here's why: strip #970 p5 establishes that magic items explode when activated improperly.

Rich, you clever bastard.

Nice! I linked both strips the first time I read #1020, but I could never dream that it would actually be written on the scroll.

[Bulldog Psion]

That is seriously the most awesome thing I've seen in quite a while. :smallcool:

[blunk]

Oh, Yendor already decoded that one (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=15146596&postcount=224).Right on! Thanks.

[KorvinStarmast]

Not stupidity, but intelligent use of incompetence. I suggest we agree to disagree. My read on Blackwing is that the bird overestimates its wit and capability, but remains arrogant nonetheless.

[Ruck]

If they were really on the Methane, the explosion would have been much larger.

[I try to ignore typos, but I can't pass up a good straight line.]
Ha! You're a gas.


Nice catch! Any chance of a verbatim translation? I'd missed what it said and looking up the key on mobile is a pain.
As far as I can tell, that *is* the verbatim translation.

[Seward]

Actually.... (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#swarmSubtype)

And in addition to the 1.5*damage from area effects, a rat swarm, made up of tiny critters, takes full damage from bite attacks (which include bludgeon). Half for claw and talon though.

[a1chemi]

Cool. Same code as in 981, so maybe the script in 867 could be deciphered, too. (Though we may need the PDF for that.)

I never noticed that cryptogram in 981. What does it say? I'm also curious as to how you guys are deciphering these.

Edit: Ninja'd (like..twice I think)

[Dracon1us]

More Mr. Scruffy and Blackwing please!

this could be easily be a spin-off

they are a great duo!

great strip!

[Dracon1us]

Birds and cats, working together... MASS HYSTERIA!!!

ghostbusters quotes, always the best quotes

[davidbofinger]

I suggest we agree to disagree.

Why?


My read on Blackwing is that the bird overestimates its wit

Hard to say. Blackwing's obsession with baubles could be seen as lackwittedness, I suppose, but I think there's probably a better way to look at it.

The use of the scroll in #1020, on the other hand, seems genuinely clever. I certainly didn't see it coming.


and capability

Blackwing may have overestimated his combat capability towards the end of #1014. It's not certain, though, someone might shout that even if they expected a TPK.


but remains arrogant nonetheless.

Is there some specific behaviour you'd point to, that you consider arrogant? He just seems excitable to me.

[Lady_Springtime]

Odds that the people walking by are just going to shrug it off as V making a mistake?

Not if they know that V's topside.

[Keltest]

Not if they know that V's topside.

And even if they don't, what kind of person hears an explosion on a FLYING airship and doesn't investigate at least a little?

[Dr.Zero]

The use of the scroll in #1020, on the other hand, seems genuinely clever. I certainly didn't see it coming.


Neither I did.
But to be honest, because in most sessions it would not be allowed. ;)
First the explosion happening when? The round after the failed use? It they have time to take cover, I suppose it is so.
Second, the explosion being clearly thought as the most probably outcome. It had proper foreshadowing, of course, when V was trying to teach to Haley to use wands, and we saw that there have been some explosions (I'm in no mood to search for the exact strip, but I'm sure it is there, somewhere :smallcool:).

But still, these two together will be easy to abuse as backup fireballs (or whatever effect the explosion has) to throw when needed.

Moreover the fact that a low UMD fails and gets a predictable result, means even a high UMD can fail, if so he wishes, and get likely the same predictable result (just think about a bomb disposal expert and a commoner: if the commoner can make a bomb explode, just messing randomly with cables, when he wants, all the more reasons for the bomb disposal expert to be able to do the same... even if his work is usually to deactivate them).

So I think it was hardly a thing we could guess by ourselves, because we would have been too biased by the fact that in a regular session it won't be allowed to happen.

Anyway it was too much awesome to worry about these details. :smallbiggrin:

[8BitNinja]

The strange part is that the verbal component was not the spell name, it was potterus mimicus

Is that an official 3.5e SRD spell?

[Pyrous]

The strange part is that the verbal component was not the spell name, it was potterus mimicus

Is that an official 3.5e SRD spell?

No. I think it comes from the same sourcebook as Stoppus Badguyus (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0253.html).

[KorvinStarmast]

Is there some specific behaviour you'd point to, that you consider arrogant? He just seems excitable to me.
All of it, particularly as this familiar was introduced and either would or would not deign to interact nor speak with various of the characters. (Granted, the relationship with V has improved over time). As I don't have an index of every frame what includes Blackwing, I do not feel like searching all of the first few hundred strips to pull a few out.

[Jasdoif]

My read on Blackwing is that the bird overestimates its wit and capability, but remains arrogant nonetheless.Well....Blackwing is Vaarsuvius' familiar, it makes sense that they share some traits.

[Shining Wrath]

Blackwing is a drama queen, first and foremost. As for unintelligent, a familiar of a level 15 wizard (or sorcerer, but don't tell V) ought to have INT=13, so definitely smarter than, say, Belkar.

[8BitNinja]

No. I think it comes from the same sourcebook as Stoppus Badguyus (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0253.html).

I never knew they could ship that to Pagan, It's already in limited supply in Britannia, and it's literally a miracle that I could fined one in Middle Earth

Does this book also have rules for how much damage Magic Missile does to the darkness?

[Kantaki]

Blackwing is a drama queen, first and foremost. As for unintelligent, a familiar of a level 15 wizard (or sorcerer, but don't tell V) ought to have INT=13, so definitely smarter than, say, Belkar.

I don't think that is a very good comparison. Almost everything is smarter than Belkar. Rocks, Elan, Mr. Scruffy, Elan, random animals, Elan, tables, Miko... :smallbiggrin:

@8BitNinja: That isn't the spell, that is Blackwing saying random words while using the scroll to intentionally missfire it. Hence the "The good news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.":smallbiggrin: Pretty clever plan I would say. Absolutely crazy and incredibly risky, but still very clever.

[8BitNinja]

Mr. Scruffy: Doctor, are you sure this will work?

Blackwing: I have no idea

[goodpeople25]

Blackwing is a drama queen, first and foremost. As for unintelligent, a familiar of a level 15 wizard (or sorcerer, but don't tell V) ought to have INT=13, so definitely smarter than, say, Belkar.
And going by his racial ability scores he has Wis 14, which likely makes him wiser than half the order. (Well at least Elan, Belkar and Mr Scruffy, i think V is likely, Haley who knows?) But the way Blackwing comes across probaly isn't helped by his Cha of 6. Not that i'm a big follower of ability scores, but they seem to fit in this case, (and they mostly do)

[KorvinStarmast]

Well....Blackwing is Vaarsuvius' familiar, it makes sense that they share some traits. I was considering adding that as an edit, thanks. The only character whose Int was a obvious dump stat was Elan, just as Belkar's Wisdom seems to have played out as a dump stat (his healing episode with V's assistance, his spot checks ... ).

Belkar's remark on Elan, as a insult was something like ("I just took the biggest dump since Elan's int stat" or something very much like that).

Durkon is neither brilliant nor stupid. Strikes me as a middle of the road Int sort. Most of his odd behavior strike me as Personality Traits/Flaws regarding the tree phobia and the "is it OK to help you?" deal.

Both Haley and Roy strike me as having above average to high intelligence.

I do recognize that Drama queen = annoying, not stupid

If I were to criticize Blackwing for being stupid due to being a drama queen, I'd also have to criticize Haley for the same reason, and she's obviously quite intelligent.

[Throknor]

There's a theme in this strip I don't think I've seen discussed yet: the animals were working as a team - especially Mr. Scruffy coming to Blackwing's rescue. This is a large change from Mr. Scruffy and Blackwing fight in the desert (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html). I can't help but wonder if Belkar's change to be a better party member are filtering through somehow, though it might just be Mr. Scruffy remembering Blackwing's help (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0803.html). Regardless, it's a nice touch and fun to see.

And now I'm thinking back and Mr. Scruffy didn't really react to the extra vampire, but he did react to Blackwing being hurt (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1013.html). So it goes back to then at least, and not just a mid-fight thing.

Still doesn't explain why V. has all of the animals, though...

[KishouTheBadger]

Long time lurker making a first time post. Love the comic, Rich. Unlike most webcomics there seems to be a set plan whether its comedy, drama, or both, and doesn't waste time for reaction strips. (I have a love/hate relationship for El Goonish Shive for that exact reason)

I'm happy and excited that Blackwing weaponized a critical fail Use Magic Device. I can only wonder what happens next.

Also, on the debate of intelligence scores, the Mindflayer from strip #31 has a different opinion on who has the highest...

[Kantaki]

Also, on the debate of intelligence scores, the Mindflayer from strip #31 has a different opinion on who has the highest...

If I recall correctly the squid-thing choose Roy for having the most balanced, overall high*, mental stats, not because of his intelligence.

*While he doesn't have the highest value for either of the three stats Roy is the only member of the Order that has high-ish values in all of them. Durkon had a higher wisdom, Elan -and Haley I would guess- beats him when it comes to charisma and V’s intelligence is of the charts. But they all have low-ish values in their other mental stats making Roy the more desirable meal.

[Jasdoif]

If I recall correctly the squid-thing choose Roy for having the most balanced, overall high*, mental stats, not because of his intelligence.You recall correctly:


V has a higher Int, but has a moderate Wisdom and a poor Charisma (shouting about your arcane power all day is not the way to make friends). Roy has a very good Int, a very good Wis, and a decent Charisma. Thus, he's the most filling meal.

[axus]

There's a theme in this strip I don't think I've seen discussed yet: the animals were working as a team - especially Mr. Scruffy coming to Blackwing's rescue. This is a large change from Mr. Scruffy and Blackwing fight in the desert (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html). I can't help but wonder if Belkar's change to be a better party member are filtering through somehow, though it might just be Mr. Scruffy remembering Blackwing's help (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0803.html). Regardless, it's a nice touch and fun to see.

And now I'm thinking back and Mr. Scruffy didn't really react to the extra vampire, but he did react to Blackwing being hurt (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1013.html). So it goes back to then at least, and not just a mid-fight thing.

Still doesn't explain why V. has all of the animals, though...

Hey, good find of Blackwing previously using a magic device.

[Dr.Zero]

If I recall correctly the squid-thing choose Roy for having the most balanced, overall high*, mental stats, not because of his intelligence.

*While he doesn't have the highest value for either of the three stats Roy is the only member of the Order that has high-ish values in all of them. Durkon had a higher wisdom, Elan -and Haley I would guess- beats him when it comes to charisma and V’s intelligence is of the charts. But they all have low-ish values in their other mental stats making Roy the more desirable meal.

Now I will ask myself forever the kind of stats Belkar has to be a taco :smallconfused:
We know he has a wisdom score reserved for lemmings.
He must be decently high in charisma, even if lower than Elan's, since he scores with girls quite easily (the girl of the thief guild, the gnome girl)
But intelligence? What is the intelligence of a taco, compared to the delectable 18 hamburger of V?
It will remain a mystery... or maybe not! Dun-dun-dun!

(I've got hungry, too!)

[PallentisLunam]

Great comic.

I submit that Blackwing (with Improved Evasion) and Mr. Scruffy (with regular Evasion) are perfectly fine, at least as perfectly fine as they were before the scroll went off, and the rat swarm (which takes 1.5 damage from AoE effects) is toast.

[goodpeople25]

Now I will ask myself forever the kind of stats Belkar has to be a taco :smallconfused:
We know he has a wisdom score reserved for lemmings.
He must be decently high in charisma, even if lower than Elan's, since he scores with girls quite easily (the girl of the thief guild, the gnome girl)
But intelligence? What is the intelligence of a taco, compared to the delectable 18 hamburger of V?
It will remain a mystery... or maybe not! Dun-dun-dun!

(I've got hungry, too!)
On belkars Cha, he was apart of the group that was said to not have any Cha that got stuck with the lower star restaurant on new years in azure city. (Not definite sure but neither is being found attractive) But i think his personality might have played a factor too, both for getting a good restaurant and being a taco.

[Kish]

Now I will ask myself forever the kind of stats Belkar has to be a taco :smallconfused:
We know he has a wisdom score reserved for lemmings.
He must be decently high in charisma, even if lower than Elan's, since he scores with girls quite easily (the girl of the thief guild, the gnome girl)
But intelligence? What is the intelligence of a taco, compared to the delectable 18 hamburger of V?
It will remain a mystery... or maybe not! Dun-dun-dun!

(I've got hungry, too!)
Well, let's see.

Roy has all three mental stats, so you can't derive much from him.

Elan has only Charisma and is a diet soda: sweet, no nourishment, tastes awful.

Vaarsuvius has only Intelligence and is a hamburger.

Durkon has only Wisdom and is "filling, but too bland."

Haley has Intelligence and Charisma and is "tasty, but too sweet."

Therefore, I conclude:

Wisdom is "filling."

Charisma is "sweet."

Intelligence is "savory."

Belkar is something savory but not filling or sweet, pushed by his anger in the direction of "I'd get heartburn." Vaarsuvius, with higher Intelligence, is also savory but not filling or sweet, but is tasty enough to be worth considering as a meal anyway.

[KorvinStarmast]

Well, let's see.

Roy has all three mental stats, so you can't derive much from him.

Elan has only Charisma and is a diet soda: sweet, no nourishment, tastes awful.

Vaarsuvius has only Intelligence and is a hamburger.

Durkon has only Wisdom and is "filling, but too bland."

Haley has Intelligence and Charisma and is "tasty, but too sweet."

Therefore, I conclude:

Wisdom is "filling."

Charisma is "sweet."

Intelligence is "savory."

Belkar is something savory but not filling or sweet, pushed by his anger in the direction of "I'd get heartburn." Vaarsuvius, with higher Intelligence, is also savory but not filling or sweet, but is tasty enough to be worth considering as a meal anyway.This is why I come to these threads. Brilliant epicurian analysis.

[BriarHobbit]

Nice. My guess is that the Exploding Runes triggered.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Belkar's rage makes him spicy.

[War-Wren]

Well, let's see.

Roy has all three mental stats, so you can't derive much from him.

Elan has only Charisma and is a diet soda: sweet, no nourishment, tastes awful.

Vaarsuvius has only Intelligence and is a hamburger.

Durkon has only Wisdom and is "filling, but too bland."

Haley has Intelligence and Charisma and is "tasty, but too sweet."

Therefore, I conclude:

Wisdom is "filling."

Charisma is "sweet."

Intelligence is "savory."

Belkar is something savory but not filling or sweet, pushed by his anger in the direction of "I'd get heartburn." Vaarsuvius, with higher Intelligence, is also savory but not filling or sweet, but is tasty enough to be worth considering as a meal anyway.

One doffs one's hat to one, my good man. Brilliant deduction, Holmes, old boy! :smallbiggrin:

[littlebum2002]

Well, let's see.

Roy has all three mental stats, so you can't derive much from him.

Elan has only Charisma and is a diet soda: sweet, no nourishment, tastes awful.

Vaarsuvius has only Intelligence and is a hamburger.

Durkon has only Wisdom and is "filling, but too bland."

Haley has Intelligence and Charisma and is "tasty, but too sweet."

Therefore, I conclude:

Wisdom is "filling."

Charisma is "sweet."

Intelligence is "savory."

Belkar is something savory but not filling or sweet, pushed by his anger in the direction of "I'd get heartburn." Vaarsuvius, with higher Intelligence, is also savory but not filling or sweet, but is tasty enough to be worth considering as a meal anyway.

I'm guessing this means that the turkey that represents Roy's brain was glazed with honey? :smallbiggrin:

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, don't forget the stuffing. And the cranberries on the side.

[8BitNinja]

Now I will ask myself forever the kind of stats Belkar has to be a taco :smallconfused:
We know he has a wisdom score reserved for lemmings.
He must be decently high in charisma, even if lower than Elan's, since he scores with girls quite easily (the girl of the thief guild, the gnome girl)
But intelligence? What is the intelligence of a taco, compared to the delectable 18 hamburger of V?
It will remain a mystery... or maybe not! Dun-dun-dun!

(I've got hungry, too!)

1. He seems to be getting wiser, but definitely not a King Solomon

2. Can you please give a citation

3. The intelligence of a taco is probably 1/2, They aren't too smart, my dog is smarter than it, and that is SERIOUSLY saying something

[zoofroot]

Blackwing didn't need to fail intentionally. The DC for this UMD check is between 27 and 36, depending on the caster level V chose for the scroll. V's maximum ranks in Use Magic Device are 9, and Blackwing has a -2 Charisma bonus, for a check of D20+7. He could only have succeeded on this check with a 20, and then only if V decided to make the scroll at minimum caster level.

[davidbofinger]

First the explosion happening when? The round after the failed use? It they have time to take cover, I suppose it is so.

Scrambling for cover doesn't need to be an action, it might just be the visible element of a DEX-based saving throw. (I have no idea if such a saving throw should occur.)

[KorvinStarmast]

Scrambling for cover doesn't need to be an action, it might just be the visible element of a DEX-based saving throw. (I have no idea if such a saving throw should occur.) Might that depend upon which spell or spell effect is about to go off? We don't know what spell effect it was yet, beyond not being Locate Creature.

[Manty5]

And this is the strip which reveals the identity of the Mitd:

A paper golem constructed of semi-legibly-written spell scrolls. He must remain in the dark lest people close enough to read him set us up the bomb.

[Lordchoculla]

And this is the strip which reveals the identity of the Mitd:

A paper golem constructed of semi-legibly-written spell scrolls. He must remain in the dark lest people close enough to read him set us up the bomb.

Hmm.. I think it might be one of the dead gods of Vulcan, Hades, Ares or Zeus. In zombie form as they were killed by the Snarl. Alternatively, it is the Snarl or a very small giant. Or Kraagor.

As for scrolls... probably been ninja'ed, but here we go... The next chapter of the saga is called The Right Scroll :smallsmile:

[Lordchoculla]

Use Magic Device.

Thank you kindly, dear "sir or madam or it" ... :smallsmile::smallsmile:

[Dr.Zero]

Therefore, I conclude:

Wisdom is "filling."

Charisma is "sweet."

Intelligence is "savory."

Belkar is something savory but not filling or sweet, pushed by his anger in the direction of "I'd get heartburn." Vaarsuvius, with higher Intelligence, is also savory but not filling or sweet, but is tasty enough to be worth considering as a meal anyway.

Like IRL where we have healthy food, candies (good, sweet, but "useless", aside the calories) and spicy and salty food. It seems completely reasonable. :smallsmile:

The only problem I see is with Belkar ability to score with girls. Btw, I always thought D&D is lacking about this -yeah, not only about this, but we are talking of this- since Charisma should be only personality based -so Belkar should suck (even if he is pretty funny), as probably Elan, to be honest, since he is horribly annoying to travel with- and then there should be Beauty, physical based. But I'm digressing. :)



2. Can you please give a citation


Of the ability of Belkar to score with girls?
Well, like I said, there was the thief guild girl. Sorry, but I don't remember her name now (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html). :smallbiggrin:

And the gnome girl (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0969.html).

Not as good as Elan, who seduced the sorceress hot chick, has girls hitting on him at the party in Azure City, made Haley fall in love with him and then had a whole solo quest/romance with the half orc ninja, but still...

[pendell]

Bravo! What a cool and innovative use of DND rules to overcome a problem by blackwing. I had to read the thread to understand he was intentionally botching Use Magic Device in the hope of getting someone's attention. Again, Bravo!

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Kantaki]

Like IRL where we have healthy food, candies (good, sweet, but "useless", aside the calories) and spicy and salty food. It seems completely reasonable. :smallsmile:

The only problem I see is with Belkar ability to score with girls. Btw, I always thought D&D is lacking about this -yeah, not only about this, but we are talking of this- since Charisma should be only personality based -so Belkar should suck (even if he is pretty funny), as probably Elan, to be honest, since he is horribly annoying to travel with- and then there should be Beauty, physical based. But I'm digressing.

Elan's high charisma is reflected by the fact that he is likeable despite his various quirks. Most of those are related to his other mental stats that are indeed rather low. It's similar with his speeches, they usually are pretty convincing (charisma) he just tends to say everything that comes to his mind, even if is the opposite of what he intents (wisdom I think) making the results pretty devastating. Or his illusions, that got much more useful after he learned to think about what he creates(intelligence).

And sure, charisma is mostly personality, but I think the appearence is a big enough factor to make a individual stat unnecessary.

[Storm_Of_Snow]

And sure, charisma is mostly personality, but I think the appearence is a big enough factor to make a individual stat unnecessary.
And we certainly don't want to go back to 1st edition Unearthed Arcana's Comeliness stat...

[KorvinStarmast]

And we certainly don't want to go back to 1st edition Unearthed Arcana's Comeliness stat...

Why not? Helen of Troy, whose face was so beautiful that it launched a thousand ships ...
Epic.

Comeliness was fun to mess around with, though when all is said and done, it not staying in later editions was the better decision.

[8BitNinja]

Thanks for referring me to comic 969 Dr. Zero

I remember the thieves guild one, but I didn't remember the gnome one

Probably because I don't really care about the amount of scoring done in anything, including real life

[Skull the Troll]

Neither I did.
But to be honest, because in most sessions it would not be allowed. ;)
First the explosion happening when? The round after the failed use? It they have time to take cover, I suppose it is so.
Second, the explosion being clearly thought as the most probably outcome. It had proper foreshadowing, of course, when V was trying to teach to Haley to use wands, and we saw that there have been some explosions (I'm in no mood to search for the exact strip, but I'm sure it is there, somewhere :smallcool:).

But still, these two together will be easy to abuse as backup fireballs (or whatever effect the explosion has) to throw when needed.

Moreover the fact that a low UMD fails and gets a predictable result, means even a high UMD can fail, if so he wishes, and get likely the same predictable result (just think about a bomb disposal expert and a commoner: if the commoner can make a bomb explode, just messing randomly with cables, when he wants, all the more reasons for the bomb disposal expert to be able to do the same... even if his work is usually to deactivate them).

So I think it was hardly a thing we could guess by ourselves, because we would have been too biased by the fact that in a regular session it won't be allowed to happen.

Anyway it was too much awesome to worry about these details. :smallbiggrin:

As long as you assume the homebrew rules that allow an explosion if you fail to cast from a scroll its alright. I think the explosions isn't a fireball in the sense of the spell, but a much more minor explosion. It may only do a few hit points of damage. That's probably enough to do in some rats.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The only problem I see is with Belkar ability to score with girls.

I always figured that was a reference to the Irresistible Bad Boy trope.

[Roderick_BR]

Hah! I can honestly say I've never seen someone deliberately botch a UMD check to get this result before! Now let's hope it doesn't burn the ship down.

Also that might be one of my favorite lines from Blackwing so far.

The forums had a lot of talk about doing it with Explosive Runes in a way or another. Looks like this works just as well.

[8BitNinja]

Why is there a problem with Belkar's attractiveness?

I think it could be considered a redeeming quality to be a chick magnet

I am one, but the repelling kind magnet :smallsmile:

[KorvinStarmast]

I may be forgetting a 3.5 rule, but why cant Blackwing just pop out and then back in to V the way it was done here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html).

Is the pop in action on screen in the strip a reflection of V summoning the familiar?

[Keltest]

I may be forgetting a 3.5 rule, but why cant Blackwing just pop out and then back in to V the way it was done here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html).

Is the pop in action on screen in the strip a reflection of V summoning the familiar?

Its an (overused) joke about how most wizard players will only interact and, indeed, remember their familiar at all when it is beneficial for them to do so, and when they don't do that they might as well not exist.

[DaggerPen]

I am one, but the repelling kind magnet :smallsmile:

You're a magnetic monopole?? :smalleek:

[kaoskonfety]

Its an (overused) joke about how most wizard players will only interact and, indeed, remember their familiar at all when it is beneficial for them to do so, and when they don't do that they might as well not exist.

When I first started playing 3rd it was partly a survival tactic hold over from 1st and 2nd editions where having the DM realize you were 'foolish' enough to actually use a cool iconic spell could actually kill you...

[Keltest]

When I first started playing 3rd it was partly a survival tactic hold over from 1st and 2nd editions where having the DM realize you were 'foolish' enough to actually use a cool iconic spell could actually kill you...

I had a frost giant nail my wizard's scouting Pseudodragon with a thrown boulder. Critical hit. Killed it in one hit. Totally legitimate except he and I both forgot they had innate camouflage abilities.

[Jasdoif]

I had a frost giant nail my wizard's scouting Pseudodragon with a thrown boulder. Critical hit. Killed it in one hit. Totally legitimate except he and I both forgot they had innate camouflage abilities.That sounds like a really convenient thing for a frost giant to forget....

[Keltest]

That sounds like a really convenient thing for a frost giant to forget....

To be fair to the frost giant, it had been a couple months since we had last played.

[F.Harr]

Oh dear. What did he do?

Interestingly, some birds are hard to sex. Unless you operate. And then it's still hard.

So Blackwing is a bit like V in that regard.

Oh dear. What did they do?

[Deliverance]

I had a frost giant nail my wizard's scouting Pseudodragon with a thrown boulder. Critical hit. Killed it in one hit. Totally legitimate except he and I both forgot they had innate camouflage abilities.
"You notice a camouflaged smear on the wall where your Pseudodragon used to be. Do you want to investigate Y/N?"

[Shining Wrath]

Why not? Helen of Troy, whose face was so beautiful that it launched a thousand ships ...
Epic.

Comeliness was fun to mess around with, though when all is said and done, it not staying in later editions was the better decision.

The milliHelen is sufficient beauty to launch a ship. Negative values indicate that the ships travel away from the face in question.

[8BitNinja]

You're a magnetic monopole?? :smalleek:

If so, there is no experimental evidence that I exist (x-files music)

[Pyrous]

The milliHelen is sufficient beauty to launch a ship. Negative values indicate that the ships travel away from the face in question.

Neleh of Yort, whose face was so ugly that it launched a thousand ships...

[8BitNinja]

Neleh of Yort, whose face was so ugly that it launched a thousand ships...

Heenl of Tyor, whose face was so mediocre a thousand ships didn't know where to go

[KorvinStarmast]

Heenl of Tyor, whose face was so mediocre a thousand ships didn't know where to go

And now she is the ruler of the queen's navy.
(Gilbert and Sullivan ref ...)

[Manty5]

Brisa of west Nowheresville, whose face was so nondescript it caused her husband to leap upon his horse and ride off in all directions.

[goodpeople25]

Wow guys do you want to end up in the scorpion pit? i hope you guys have the manifests for these thousands of ships.

And i believe the city in question is spelled Tsort. :smallwink:

[Hans of Frysia]

Wow guys do you want to end up in the scorpion pit? i hope you guys have the manifests for these thousands of ships.

And i believe the city in question is spelled Tsort. :smallwink:

You, sir or madam, deserve 7+1 rounds of applause and a hard-boiled egg.

[8BitNinja]

Lehen of Roty, Whose face was so slightly more attractive than the normal face that it launched one bass boat

Hey, at least it still launched a boat

[goodpeople25]

You, sir or madam, deserve 7+1 rounds of applause and a hard-boiled egg.
With soldiers?

[Mad Humanist]

With soldiers?

Soldiers are for a soft-boiled egg not hard.

[UristMcRandom]

Wow guys do you want to end up in the scorpion pit? i hope you guys have the manifests for these thousands of ships.

And i believe the city in question is spelled Tsort. :smallwink:


You, sir or madam, deserve 7+1 rounds of applause and a hard-boiled egg.

Care to explain the joke for those of us whose head it flew over?

[Kantaki]

Care to explain the joke for those of us whose head it flew over?

Terry Pratchett. The Discworld books.
Scorpion pits are a form of punishment in Ankh-Morpok (mostly for mimes I think) and the number between seven and nine should be avoided for attracting bad things (well one really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really bad thing to be exact).